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Melton wireless powergrid
The Melton Wireless Powergrid is a power distribution infrastructure system developed and constructed by the Melton Industries along with multiple contractors and engineering firms. It uses resonant inductive coupling technology on receivers and transmitters and is mainly used for electric vehicles. A proof of concept was completed in 2039 in Los Angeles, California. The nationwide powergrid system commenced its construction in 2043 in accordance with the Domestic Energy Independence Act passed by the United States Congress in 2036. The powergrid is placed over the metropolitan areas of the United States and in some parts of Canada. There are a total of 155,389 total pylons upon its first phase completion in 2050. An excess of US$15.6 billion was spent in the construction of the grid. History The United States Congress passed the Domestic Energy Independence Act in 2036 to reduce domestic oil dependence by 1.2 billion bbl/year per the agreements made with the Pacific-Atlantic Global Partnership on oil imports. The act included a 20% subsidy for electric vehicles purchased after the year 2030 to discourage the purchase of traditional vehicles which consequently decreases oil consumption. The limited range on electric vehicles, however, remained a significant downside to traditional vehicles. In 2033, the electric vehicle adoption rate was at 12% in the United States, increasing only marginally from 9% in 2028. Melton Industries subsidiary Melton Energy Systems introduced the idea for a wireless electric grid for electric vehicle usage in February 2037 to the United States Department of Energy after developing portable resonant inductive coupling devices that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles. An extensive wireless powergrid could, in theory, infinitely recharge the vehicle for as far as the infrastructure was built. The Department of Energy approved the concept with a $50 million grant in December 2037, and allowed for the construction of the infrastructure in Los Angeles and along the Southern California megalopolis, near what would later be the Pacific Powerstation 5. The proof of concept was completed in 2039, with subsequent rises in electric vehicle usage in the region, up from 16% to 25% in just two years. Despite the success of the powergrid, the prototype was a commercial failure. Due to the lowered efficiency of power transmission, the company ran on a negative gross income for the project. The Department of Energy, however, allowed for the losses on income to be counted for tax breaks from 2039 to 2042 in order to continue funding of the project. Melton Industries was able to cover the costs of the reduced power efficiency in 2043, when the DHX-04 nuclear fusion reactor came online due to the significantly lowered energy production cost. As such, Melton Industries received an undisclosed amount of funding from the Department of Energy and a seven year contract to construct the first phase of a wireless powergrid along the continental United States. The company was also able to obtain a military contract for antimatter weaponry research. Technology The Melton Wireless Powergrid (MWP) is a network of wireless power transmitters and receivers built in transmission pylons scattered across continental North America. The transmission pylons are a standardized three meters tall, with the transmitters and receivers located 2.5 meters up into the pylons. Pylons are placed 150 meters apart in high density areas, and 300 meters apart in more rural areas. The grid functions through a series of power relay and power transmission pylons via a standardized oscillating current. Resonant inducting coupling technology is used because the transmission coils are highly resonant therefore reliable over long distances; enduring only a marginal loss of power. Power relay pylons The transmitters and receivers comprises the main functionality of the pylons utilized for power relay, which form the backbone of the MWP. The transmitters and receivers both contain resonant transformers, allowing them to use resonant inductive coupling technologies to transmit power wirelessly. The resonant transformers are created with electric coils wrapped around capacitors. The thickness and the configuration of the electric coils determine the frequency of which the power is transmitted. Power relay pylons have an efficiency of 80% in distances over 200 meters. The capacitor located in every relay pylon has a total capacity of 48 kWh and transmits power at 120 watts. Power transmission pylons Power transmission pylons are, unlike power relay pylons, used solely to transmit power for its customers. As a result, the power transmission pylons use a different transmission frequency to distribute power. The capacitors have a maximum capacity of 512 kWh, and transmits power at 60 watts. Each power transmission pylons contain multiple transmitters of different magnetic oscillation frequencies to serve as "channels" for electricity usage for different applications and different power distribution companies. Electric vehicles Electric vehicles utilize the power transmission pylons in the MWP to sustain its own power. While the battery on electric vehicles usually have ranges from 300 to 500 kilometers depending on the battery size, the MWP allows the batteries to recharge along the way, allowing for an almost infinite range for the vehicles. Operation The Melton Wireless Powergrid is maintained by Melton Energy Systems, a subsidiary of Melton Industries, whereas power distribution operations are run by separate companies not affiliated with Melton Industries. Until 2055, Melton Energy Systems wholly oversaw the entire distribution and operations of the powergrid. The United States Energy Antitrust Laws enacted in 2055 forced Melton Energy Systems to secede its power distribution department. The department was later established as Noram Wireless. Apart from Noram Wireless, the wireless power distribution industry is also shared by other companies. All wireless power distribution companies uses the Melton Wireless Power Services, a platform providing rights to use the Melton Wireless Powergrid on a licensing basis. An industry standard power distribution company is usually responsible for the follows: * Synchronization of oscillating currents and frequencies from power transmission pylons * Manufacturing of devices capable of receiving power wirelessly, usually through synchronizing devices with the pylons * Licensing with Melton Wireless Power Services Noram Wireless Main article: Noram Wireless Noram Wireless, initially established as a department of Melton Energy Systems, is an wireless power distributing company specializing in power distribution in electric vehicles and shipping drones. It relies on the Melton Wireless Powergrid to distribute electricity to clients and holds partnerships and licenses with electric vehicle and shipping drones.